Business objectives and social responsibility are two important ‘ends’ in every society. Businesses only thrive in environments that are conducive for their survival. Conducive environments are a function of the people, culture, values, ideals, beliefs and institutional framework. Indeed, these two ‘ends’ go hand in hand. A business which seeks to achieve its objectives perpetually must strive to condition its environment to react favorably to its operations.

Many Nigerian business concerns place more emphasis on key stakeholders such as shareholders, suppliers, government and others with little or no attention on the consuming public. The seeming presumption that consumers can be reached via the conventional marketing channels have been dwarfed by a generational shift in technology. Indeed, a great chunk of the consuming public can be reached via a well developed social responsibility mechanism.

The two charts in this article paint a disturbing picture as a sample of highly capitalized companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange reveal that only about 1% of Profit after tax and a negligible fraction of 1% of turnover is expended on corporate responsibility.

To look not too far from our failure in corporate social responsibility is to consider the school age children selling the merchandise of Nigerian companies at the popular Maryland bus stop in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria instead of attending school. How about the twelve year old boy passing as a driver’s mate popularly called the ‘bus conductor’ because he does not know where the next meal will come from?  

One often times wonder why Nigerian companies have never adopted a total business philosophy that project corporate social responsibility as one of the core means for achieving its business objectives.

Interestingly, individuals from different spheres of life have taken up the gauntlet and are now leading a new generation of individuals committed to fixing their neighborhoods and immediate surroundings.  

A good example is the ‘Young Professionals Impact’ group of 30 individuals I have followed for a couple of weeks which among other things impacted their immediate society within the short period of creation. The SOS village and a number of institutions have been assisted and to think they have achieved so much with few individuals speaks volume of the influence we can have on the society if we act. Additionally, there is a project currently being undertaken to collect 100,000 books for distribution in schools etc.

This is one of countless self help groups attempting to make a difference in a society riddled with pains and hunger.

While a number of establishments may have attempted in the recent past to create a semblance of corporate social responsibility albeit of direct benefit to them, we must realize that the future of the county is in our hands. A serious approach towards this issue must be advanced by all concerned. If each company adopts a school, hospital, road or park, Nigeria will be saved from the tragedies of the future.

Indeed the survival of existing Nigerian companies after us will depend on the footprints they leave in the sands of Nigerian history. We must collectively as firms and individuals endeavor to impact our society positively and in the words of a friend ‘we must face the urgency of now’.